Harvard Spent $75,000 in Taxpayer Money to Blow Lizards Off Trees with Leaf Blowers

In 2020, National Science Foundation funded a study to examine how well different types of lizards could hang on to trees. They were concerned about increasing frequency of hurricanes and high-speed winds due to climate change – especially their effects on the anole lizard population.

So they decided to test how long anole lizards could hang onto trees in these onerous conditions.

To study this, they spent over $75,000 to blow leaf blowers at lizards on trees, according to the Office of Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). Dr. Colin M. Donihue, then a researcher at Harvard University, conducted the research with funding from the National Science Foundation.

Why is Harvard receiving a $75,000 grant when it has a $53.2 billion endowment – up $10 billion year-over-year?

The researchers wanted to determine if long limbed lizards fared better in high-speed winds than short-limbed lizards when holding onto trees. Would this have a natural selection effect on the lizard population?

In 2017, a study of the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria found this to be true. After the hurricanes, the remaining lizards had longer toe-pads and longer fore legs, compared to the pre-hurricane population, which gave them a better grip with which to hold onto trees.

However, for some reason, the National Science Foundation wanted to study it even further. They gathered 47 anole lizards, put them on a wooden pole, and used leaf blowers to blow “hurricane force winds” at them at speeds up to 108 mph. Apparently, the lizards were resilient at 102 mph, but faltered at 108 mph.

If you are wondering why this research is necessary, you won’t find any answers from your government. There is no official grant description for this research from the National Science Foundation.

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